Where is the vision, the ambition, the belief? Into this bleak picture drops a book and an author bristling with hope, optimism and answers . Utopia for Realists has taken Holland by storm and could yet revitalise progressive thought around the globe.Better than that, though, it is not a dry, statistical analysis - although he doesn't shy from solid data - but a book written with verve, wit and imagination. The effect is charmingly persuasive. Bregman has a vision. And it's a pretty clear one.The result is a hybrid that's reminiscent of the New Yorker's Malcolm Gladwell : lots of compelling anecdotes, backed up with information from an array of surveys and research papers delivered in a tremendously readable style.But there's also an extra layer of idealism with Bregman, a belief that people are essentially good and that all it requires is a rational analysis of the facts and good governance to make the most profound and lasting changes.

Yes, he is a utopian, but a practical one. He knows there are many problems to overcome, but the first and toughest is the belief that things can change. In that he has made a major contribution. Listen out for Rutger Bregman. He has a big future shaping the future.